Port Adelaide retain Monfries0:30
AFL: Port Adelaide have confirmed Angus Monfries will play on in 2017 after signing a one-year contract extension.
Angus Monfries grateful Port Adelaide kept its promise after drug suspension
EXPERIENCED Port Adelaide forward Angus Monfries is grateful the Power has stood by its promise to keep him in the AFL after his year in limbo.
“I’m lucky they have given me another chance and I can’t thank them enough,” said Monfries who has signed a one-year contract extension at Alberton.
Monfries will play his 12th AFL season next year after having 2016 wiped out by a WADA-imposed ban from the fallout of the Essendon supplements saga.
MICHELANGELO RUCCI: FIXTURE CAN ONLY BE JUDGED IN JULY
LIST MOVES: POWER RE-SIGN VETERAN DUO, DELIST O’SHEA
The specialist forward will return to formal training at Alberton on November 7 after working with a personal trainer during his year of enforced exile. He is four kilograms lighter than his listed playing weight of 76kg.
But the year on the sidelines with Port Adelaide ruckman-forward and former Essendon teammate Patrick Ryder did fill Monfries with doubt on his AFL future.
“I was not sure where I was at,” said Monfries, a 210-game player (60 at Port Adelaide since leaving the Bombers at the end of 2012 when he was a free agent).
Monfries, 29, broke his silence on Adelaide’s Channel 9 news. He has been working at the television station this year while being forced by the WADA ban to stay away from the Port Adelaide Football Club.
“I’ve kept myself busy - and I have bettered myself (during the year on the sidelines),” Monfries said.
“I’ve made sure I’ve got something out of it.”
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has stated since August his intent to keep Monfries, who will find quite a battle for his spot after the development of Aaron Young, Jarman Impey and Jake Neade as specialist forwards this year. Chad Wingard also commands the same agenda in the Power attack.
“I’m a realist,” Monfries said adding he is aiming “to play some good footy to get back in the side.”
Monfries made no comment on the Essendon supplements program from 2012, his last season at Windy Hill. His silence is part of the pact theme among the “Bombers 34” who will not speak of “sport scientist” Stephen Dank’s program at Windy Hill until compensation payments - that will reach at least $17 million - are confirmed to 34 players subjected to the ASADA and WADA penalties.
All Monfries did say of the day in January when his season-long ban was announced was: “It took me back.”
“I needed time to myself (to understand the consequences),” Monfries said. He chose to take his dog for a walk to a nearby park rather than face his family after the WADA ban was confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on January 11.
Port Adelaide also confirmed, as previously reported in The Advertiser, a three-year contract extension to defender Tom Jonas.
The Power has completed its list-management in the lead-up to Monday’s deadline for delistings to make room for calls at the AFL national draft in Sydney on November 25.
Port Adelaide today delisted defender Cam O’Shea. He joins veteran forward Jay Schulz, fellow forward John Butcher, 21-year-old defender Sam Colquhoun and utility Paul Stewart in being cut from the senior list.
Must see matches of 20172:14
AFL: Must see matches of 2017
Experienced defender Alipate Carlile has retired, leaving six spots to fill on the senior list. One of these will be taken by defender Nathan Krakouer from the rookie list.
In total, Port Adelaide has made seven changes to its full squad - five delistings, one retirement and the cutting of Sandover Medallist Kane Mitchell from the rookie list.
“We have now finalised our delistings,” Port Adelaide football chief Chris Davies said. “With seven changes to our list ahead of the draft, and with four picks inside the first 31, we’re happy with our position heading into pre-season.”
The calls in the draft are at Nos. 14, 17, 30 and 31.
All 18 AFL clubs must delist at least three players by the end of the contract cycle of October 31 to enter the national draft.
Port Adelaide can use its No.85 draft pick to promote Krakouer and leave the fifth pick for the pre-season draft.
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
Originally published as I can’t thank them enough: Monfries